A UNIQUE gin that can never be distilled again has been created in honour of Barnsley Hospice’s 30th anniversary.

Only 30 bottles of the commemorative gin have been created by Waterton’s Reserve Distillery in Darton - some of which sold for more than £100 during the hospice’s anniversary ball two weeks back.

Some of the 30 botanicals used in the recipe - including lemon balm, mint and lavender - were harvested from the hospice’s garden as head distiller David Owens found ways to make the project truly unique.

He said: “I am a huge supporter of Barnsley Hospice and it’s been an absolute pleasure to create this gin in celebration of their milestone birthday.

“Having previously worked with the hospice for their 25th anniversary gin, I wanted to push the boat out even more and decided that the perfect blend of 30 botanicals would only be right.

“Most importantly, knowing that the money raised from these 30 bottles will make a difference to the hospice and the care they provide is the real winning ingredient, and everyone at Waterton’s hope it’s a huge success.

“What makes this extra special is that we haven’t kept the recipe of this particular gin, so we can’t ever make it again - it’s definitely one of a kind.”

Martine Tune, chief executive officer and chief nurse at Barnsley Hospice, added: “David and everyone at Waterton’s Reserve have really blown us away with their fantastic support.

“Every step of the process for creating this unique gin has been so well thought out, with a meaning behind each ingredient and its quantities.

“We rely on the thoughtful and generous support of companies like Waterton’s to ensure the hospice is here for many more years to come.

“I hope this wonderful example inspires other local businesses to consider how they can support the vital services we provide for the people of Barnsley.”